Stages of Love
by Rubberboots
Summary: The response to a 5 part drabble challenge based on the stages of love, attraction, romance, passion, intimacy and commitment. WatariTatsumi and WatariMuraki. Complete, updates TuesdaysFridays, 10 drabbles, 5 for each pairing.
1. Attraction and Aversion

**Author's Blabbing:** These were written for the StagesofLove livejournal community. I followed two pairings for five weeks through the five stages of love; Attraction, Romance, Passion, Intimacy and commitment. I chose Tatsumi/Watari and Muraki/Watari. This left me with ten entertaining drabbles. I'll updated Tuesdays and Thursdays until it's finished.

_Notes:_ A drabble is 100 words. No more, no less.

**Attraction and Aversion**

The afternoon sun played in the golden locks like light on waves. He could almost imagine being ensnared as easily. He focused on the man's mouth as he sipped sake. Such pretty lips. He knew what he would have those lips do.

An introduction was in order.

Too engrossed in his own misery, the blond never noticed his attacker approach. Too engrossed in his own misery he paid more attention to the compliments than the figure silhouetted by the sun.

An introduction took place.

Yutaka Watari disgusted and drawn, fled.

Kazutaka Muraki knew he would have Yutaka in his bed.


	2. Acetylcholine

Tatsumi collapsed at his desk with a sigh. Over-budget and understaffed, and only Watari was to blame. The blond had blown up his lab and received a two-week vacation for it.

Now Tatsumi had to clean up the mess.

It made him angry. It irked him more that he couldn't be angrier with Watari. No matter what Watari did, one smile and it was all forgiven; one touch to his shoulder and his anger would melt away. One look and his resolve would crumble.

Every time the blond was near his heart beat a little faster, and it scared him.


	3. Romance and Repulsion

Attraction and desire were vital parts of any physical relationship. Romance was not. Watari was attracted to the doctor. He did not desire him. He certainly did not want any romance.

Muraki did not love. He fixated, manipulated and took what he wanted.

Watari kept this in mind when bumping into Muraki; when Muraki Kazutaka gave him a rose; when Kazutaka's lips pressed against his and he murmured, "Exquisit."

Kazutaka was kind, charming, warm.

The line separating Muraki and Kazutaka was distinct; between desire and disgust not so much.

He desired, never loved.

A car horn blared, distraction; Watari ran.


	4. Seratonin

Watari returned to work looking worse than when he'd left: dazed, distracted, desirable. Tatsumi noticed this. He wished he'd been the one to but the blond in such a condition.

He hated himself for noticing. He was frightened that he wished it.

"There are people you can talk to," he told the scientist, concerned, but distant, aloof. He won't become involved.

He saw the blond, head rested in hands. "You look tired. You should sleep."

The door closes, something crashes. Tatsumi doesn't turn around.

He doesn't want to love Watari. Love is painful.

You always hurt the one you love.


	5. Passion and Perversion

The whole thing never happened. Muraki's arms didn't wrap around his waist at the bar. The doctor's lips didn't brush his ear as he was seduced.

"They say that if you meet someone three times it's no longer a coincidence. It's destiny."

No teeth nipped at his neck.

Watari hadn't asked, "What do you want?" even as he tilted his head to one side.

"You."

No tongue soothed the bites.

"Willing or not."

He didn't lean into the embrace.

"Willing or not at all."

Nothing was placed in his breast pocket.

It wasn't Muraki's address he held. It was Kazutaka's.


	6. Caudate Nucleus

Tatsumi wasn't prone to emotional outbursts. A casual observer might even say he wouldn't have recognized emotion if he'd been hit upside the head with a nail bat every time he felt one.

It was why Hisoka didn't mind his company.

It was why he didn't understand his hesitation in talking to Watari about the lab damages; why he didn't understand Watari's reaction to being told his lab funding would be severely restricted; why he couldn't believe when he yelled back, dragging up Watari's past.

Tatsumi wasn't prone to passionate emotional outbursts, but that was what Watari did to him.


	7. Intimacy and Imperfection

Tatsumi's words cut deeply.

Watari, drained, stood in front of the apartment building who's address matched the one on the worn paper he clutched between fingers.

He only asked Kazutaka one question. The man smiled softly and stepped aside to let him enter.

Muraki was impressed it took his toy so long to come to him. The wait augmented the thrill of Watari's capitulation.

They came together on seemingly equal terms, but it was Watari who submitted, sighed, screamed at the doctor's ministrations.

Pleasure, pain, poised; Watari felt alive.

Watari now knew what happened when strangers met a fourth time.


	8. Epinephrine

Watari step from the shower.

Tatsumi had been divided between berating the blonde and apologizing to him; now eyes were torn between dipping water or polished shoes.

Watari wrapped a towel around his waist; not before Tatsumi glimpsed black tattoo on pale hip.

His face was flush, but it wasn't the only place blood was rushing to.

Watari turned, eyes brimming with tears. "Just get it over with. I have work to do."

In a fluid motion, Tatsumi had the man in his arms, passion the furthest thing from his mind.

Watari showed him vunerability; he would respond in like.


End file.
